© Majalah Kartini
Brilio.net/en - Javanese noblewoman and pioneer in the area of women's rights Raden Adjeng Kartini (or Lady Kartini) was born on April 21, 1879, in the village of Mayong, Java, Indonesia. Kartini's mother, Ngasirah, was the daughter of a religious scholar, while her father, Raden Mas Adipati Ario Sosroningrat was a Javanese aristocrat working for the Dutch colonial government.
Her family background allowed Kartini to go to a Dutch school at the age of 6, which opened her eyes to Western ideals. Here, among other subjects, she learnt to speak Dutch, an unusual accomplishment for Javanese women at the time.
Image via kompas
When she reached adolescence, she had to leave her Dutch school against her will and was being secluded in her house as was customary for the time for a noblewoman. Its a common practice among Javanese nobility, to prepare young girls at home for their marriage. During seclusion, girls were not allowed to leave their parents' house until they were married, at which point authority over them was transferred to their husbands.
Fortunately, Kartini's father was more lenient than some during his daughter's seclusion, giving her such privileges as embroidery lessons and occasional appearances in public for special events.
In her struggle to accept isolation, Kartini wrote letters to friend Marie Ovink-Soer, the wife of a clerk who served the Dutch East Indies government and her Dutch schoolmates, protesting the gender inequality in Javanese traditions such as women being forced to marry at a young age, and denied from freedom to pursue an education.
Ovink-Soer introduced Kartini to the feminist movements in the Netherlands, including the De Hollandsche Lelie journal. Through the journal, Kartini befriended Dutch post officer Estell Stella Helena Zeehandelaar, who would eventually become her regular penpal.
Kartinis outpouring feelings in her letters
Image viamajalah kartini
Kartini expressed most of her feelings, as well as her thoughts about education, idealism, and Javanese traditions as well as womens position in society in her letters to Stella. In one of her letters dated 25th of May, 1899, she wrote:
I wanted to get acquainted with a modern girl, a bold, independent, the one who will captivate me completely. (A girl) who walks the path of her life at a brisk pace, strapping, jovial, happy, full of spirit and joy.
A girl who always work not only for her happiness but also strive for better living for her community, work for the happiness of fellow human beings.
In that letter, Kartini also introduced herself as one of Jepara Regents daughters.
The second eldest daughter, to be precise. I have five brothers and a sister. Isnt it abundant? My deceased grandfather, Prince Ario Tjondronegoro of Demak, who accept modernism, was the mayor of Central Java; the one who first opened his doors to guests from across the ocean, namely Western civilization. All of his son, who obtained Western education, inherited his passion for progress (and thoughts) from their father.
As someone who grew up in aristocratic circumstances, Kartini was accustomed to strict customs and traditions. To Stella, Kartini revealed womens situation in the Dutch East Indies, which is restricted in the shackles of tradition. For her, such living was no different than a living behind bars.
A noblewoman who breaks the traditions
Image via kompas
Kartinis principle of freedom contradicted her situation as a Javanese noblewoman who lived in aristocratic circumstance, where etiquette and traditional norms must be upheld. She became a driving force in breaking down restraints in her family.
In her letters, Kartini expressed how she hates to be called noble or princess. Am I a kings daughter? I, just like you, am not. The last king in our family, whom a direct ancestor according to the lineage of men, I think is already passed the 25 offsprings away.
The Europeans, according to Kartinis letters, used to address her and her siblings as freule (princess) instead of Raden Ajeng (title for Javanese noblewomen). No matter how Kartini explained, they keep addressing her as freule.
Her thinking about freedom and gender equality were poured into her letters to Stella, as cited in Surat-surat Kartini: Renungan Tentang dan Untuk Bangsanya (1979), a book by Sulastin Sutrisno:
Among us, started with me, were leaving all the customary politeness (which were unbelievably strict). Our feelings are the one may tell us how far our ambitions for freedom are allowed to move, she wrote.
Image via kompas
Kartini shares an overview to Stella how manners and politeness work in her family. For example, Kartinis younger siblings cant walk or run in front of her, except moving in a kneeling position. If Kartini passed by while her younger brothers and sisters were sitting in chairs, they have to come off the chair, sitting on the floor until their older sister walked away. It was forbidden to call an older sister or brother with thou and to reply with I. It was after delivering their words to Kartini, the younger siblings must give respect, namely with clasped hands raised to the nostrils.
In dinner table, someone with younger age shouldnt touch the food before the older ones receive it.
My head is honorable. It is strictly prohibited to touch (my head), except with special permission from me and after a few homages. Oh, you must have shuddered if you stuck in Bumiputera leading family environment like this, she wrote to Stella.
Deep in her heart, Kartini refused such norms and she wanted to end what she thought an exaggerated tradition. She eventually allowed her siblings to act casual in front of her, using me and you in conversations and let their laughter burst until their grins went from ear to ear.
As expected, at first people reproached their manners, described it as wild and uneducated. They even dubbed Kartini as crazy horse because the way she walked was far from graceful and womanly, as Javanese noblewomen used to be.
"But once people see how cordial and pleasant our relationship is, and once the madame of etiquette escaped our head and released our spirit of freedom, people are envious with our harmonious unity, which mainly existed between the three of us (Kartini and younger sisters Kardinah and Rukmini)," said Kartini.
Kartini's concerns were not only in the area of the gender equity for women but also other problems of her society. Kartini saw that the struggle for women to obtain their freedom, autonomy, and legal equality was just part of a wider movement.
Kartini's parents arranged her marriage to Joyodiningrat, the Regency Chief of Rembang, who already had three wives and 12 kids. She was married on the 12 November 1903. This was against her wishes, but she acquiesced to appease her ailing father.
Image via wikimedia
In her letters, Kartini mentioned that her esteemed husband supported her desire to develop the woodcarving industry in Jepara and the school for native women in the east porch of the Rembang Regency Office complex. She also mentioned that she was going to write a book. Sadly, this ambition was buried due to complication after giving birth to her only children, Raden Mas Soesalit. She died in 1904 at the age of 25. Although she had passed away, her spirit and thoughts continue to inspire Indonesian women to bear with the struggle to make their dreams come true.
Source: Kompas
(brl/red)
